


Feet on Fire

by lanalucy



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Community: wishlist_fic, Cross-Posted on LiveJournal, Dating, Families of Choice, Gen, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-26 22:58:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2669540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanalucy/pseuds/lanalucy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Summary</b>: A daughter tries to adapt to her new dad dating.<br/><b>Prompt/Prompter</b>: Kara, Saul, Bill, (Lee? Zak?) (BSG): B/S just started dating and Kara must determine if this Bill Adama is worthy of her surrogate/adopted dad, Saul (kid or adult Kara, your choice) <b>plaid_slytherin</b><br/><b>Warnings</b>: mild references to sexual behavior<br/><b>Disclaimer</b>: RDM said we could.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feet on Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to newnumbertwo and laura_mayfair for beta duties and title brainstorming.

“Why do I need a frakkin’ babysitter, Saul?” She stuck her hand on her hip. “I’m thirteen, for frak’s sake.”

“The ink on the adoption papers is barely dry, Kara. I don’t want to frak this up. And stop saying frak.”

“Frak.”

“Gods.” He shook his head. “C’mere, you.” He pulled her into a hug.

Hugs made her feel weird, but she stood quietly, because she’d learned Saul liked them. When he let her go, she asked, “So what’s this guy’s name again? What does he do for a living? How much money does he make? Does he have an arrest record? Is he going to want to move in after the third date?”

Saul laughed and waved his hands in front of her. “Whoa. It’s just a date. Dinner. Maybe if things go well, a walk through old downtown. That’s it. I’ll be home before midnight. No one’s moving anywhere.”

“What about my other questions? Did you give him my questionnaire? Did he fill it out?”

“Gods, Kara!” He chuckled. “I didn’t have to go through this much trouble when I dated Ellen, and she was a preacher’s daughter.”

“Yeah, well, I’m just lookin’ out for you. Lots of guys want a catch like you. I have to know if he’s gonna take advantage.”

“Worry about yourself there girly.”

“Whatever. I’m not interested in dating. Boys suck. And girls aren’t much better.”

He just shook his head.

When the doorbell rang, Kara raced for the living room. “I’ll get it,” she shouted. She flung the door open and gave the guy standing there the evil eye. If he could put up with her, maybe, just maybe, he’d be good enough for Saul.

“Hi. I’m Bill Adama.” He held out his hand.

_Hmm. Good start. Bill Adama. Make a note of that, Kara._ “I’m Kara. I’m gonna warn you right now, you’re not moving in here after a coupla dates, so get that right outta your head.”

Then Saul was right behind her, pulling her away from the door. “Don’t mind her, Bill. She’s a little protective.”

“It’s fine, Saul.” He turned to Kara. “It’s nice to meet you, Kara.” He turned back to Saul. “You ready to go?”

“Gotta wait for the babysitter.”

Bill’s eyebrow went up at that, and he looked at her again. He got an extra point for that.

Sherry raced up the sidewalk. “Sorry, Mr. Tigh. Got stuck in traffic.”

“It’s fine, Sherry. I left dinner in the oven for you and Kara, and Kara knows my phone number.”

She put an arm around Kara’s shoulders, and Kara tried not to twitch. “We’ll be fine, Mr. Tigh. Go have fun.” As soon as the door was closed, she asked, “You have any homework?”

“It’s frakkin’ Friday night. I don’t gotta do homework.”

“Oh. Dinner, then?”

Kara shrugged. “Yeah. It’s in the oven. He made us chicken.”

By the time dinner was done, and Kara had done the dishes - Sherry never even offered to help! - Kara was ready to get on her computer and find out whatever she could about Bill Adama. She walked past the living room, and Sherry was absorbed in something on her phone. Kara looked closer. Oh my gods! Was that a dick? Wait’ll Saul heard about _that_! She continued to her bedroom. Saul had bought her a laptop, her very first computer, and she stroked the lid before she opened it to boot it up.

She flexed her fingers and pulled up her social networking site. She did a search for Bill Adama, but didn’t find one. There was another Adama, though, a Lee. She wondered if Bill had kids. She clicked on the photo album symbol. _Whoa_. Boys might be stupid, but she still liked looking at them, and Lee Adama was a hottie. She scrolled down. There! A picture of Lee and another boy and Bill Adama. The caption was _Me and dad and Zak at the Fleet Family picnic_. So he had kids, and he was in the military.

She clicked on Lee’s profile. It said he was fifteen. Zak had looked younger in the picture, but she couldn’t tell if he was younger than her or not. Boys her age always looked younger than they were. He didn’t have a profile, though, so he probably wasn’t thirteen yet. She chewed a fingernail, debating whether or not she should friend Lee and try to talk to him. Boys were weird about that kinda crap. Once they got old enough to want in a girl’s pants, they stopped liking girls as friends. Was Lee there yet?

She opened a text file and recorded what she knew so far: his name, his work, two children...she clicked back over. Did Lee have an address in his profile? Yes! She copied and pasted that, too. Then she shut everything down and went to find something to eat. It had been nearly three hours since dinner and she was starving. When she got close to the living room, she heard Sherry talking in a low voice to someone on the phone.

_Gag me. Phone sex with her boyfriend._ She went to the fridge and stood there with the door open. She didn’t want more chicken. Not yet. She opened the freezer. Ooh. Saul had bought ice cream. Chocolate Chip. She smiled. _See? Those questionnaires are good for something after all. I should make sure Bill takes one home after he drops Saul off._ She dished herself out some ice cream and sat down at the table to eat it. She made sure to make a little bit of noise so Sherry could hear her. Maybe do her frakkin’ job. Not that Kara needed a babysitter.

Within a few minutes, Sherry was hovering, asking how she was doing, being nosy about her and Saul, but Kara listened anyway and answered a few questions.

“I’ve got a party tonight after I’m done here. What time did your dad say he’d be home?”

_He’s my Saul, not my dad, you idiot._ “Midnight.”

Sherry looked at her watch. “Another hour.”

“If you need to leave, you can. I’m thirteen, you know. Saul’s just overprotective.”

Sherry looked relieved for a minute. “You call your dad Saul?”

“Yep.”

“You really think it’d be okay? I could come by tomorrow or something for my money.”

“How much he paying you?” When Sherry told her, Kara did some quick math. “We have that in the kitty. I can pay you so you don’t have to come back.” It was her kitty, but it’d be worth it to get rid of this girl.

“That would be great, Kara! Are you sure Saul won’t mind?” Sherry was practically bouncing in her chair.

Kara was sure he would mind, but they’d talk it out and he’d get over it, and maybe he’d see that it was better to leave her alone. Especially after she brought up dick pics and phone sex. Maybe if Saul and Bill kept dating, Bill could bring the boys over, and the three of them could get to know each other. She could learn a lot about Bill from his kids, things he wouldn’t say himself.

She washed her bowl and told Sherry she’d get her money, and she went to dig out her stash. She was pretty sure Saul didn’t know she had this. It was money she’d gotten on the streets - she was really good with cards, and she felt better knowing she had an out. Saul had adopted her, but that didn’t mean he might not flake later. He hadn’t so far, but…she’d gotten kicked out of more than one foster home, so she wasn’t taking anything for granted.

She handed Sherry her money, and Sherry bent to hug her, then ran for the door. “Thanks, Kara!”

Kara went back to her room and printed out another questionnaire. She folded it up and put it into an envelope, then went to the living room and waited. Saul stormed in just after midnight.

“Kara! What the frak are you trying to do? I called Sherry to say I’d be a little late, and she was at a frakkin’ party!” He came fully into the living room, Bill Adama a shadow behind him. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Saul. I told you, I’m old enough to be left alone. I practically was anyway. She was too busy having phone sex with her boyfriend to pay any attention to me.”

“She was _what_!? Phone sex? In my house? She’d better not expect to get paid for that.”

“I think she was too worried about hooking up with her boyfriend to think about the money. She ran out of here like her feet were on fire.” Kara craned her head to see how Bill was taking things. She couldn’t tell. He had a really great triad face.

Saul turned to him. “Sorry, Bill. I worry about her. She’s fostered here for a while, but the adoption wasn’t official until a couple of weeks ago.”

Bill put a hand on Saul’s shoulder. “Hey, Saul, it’s okay. I’ve got two boys. I understand. Maybe we can try again in a few months when you’re more comfortable with leaving Kara alone.”

No. That wouldn’t work at all. Saul hadn’t actually said it, but he really liked this guy. He was the first one he’d wanted to go to dinner with. Not just coffee or lunch, but dinner, too. She took a chance and turned so she was on her knees facing them over the back of the couch. “Well, if you’ve got two kids, maybe you could bring them over here.” She crossed her fingers, pretended to know nothing. “Are they little? I mean, if you have to get a babysitter, and Saul has to get one, you could just get one.”

They both looked at her, then at each other.

“Actually, Kara. Lee’s fifteen. I don’t usually get a babysitter.” He lowered his voice and told Saul, “We could try that. Lee’s a good kid.”

Kara spoke up again. “We could go someplace together first, get to know each other. You know, pizza or the park or something.”

Saul gave her a funny look. Was it too much? Was he going to be sorry he’d adopted her now? “I thought you didn’t want me dating, Kara.”

She stuck her chin in her chest. “Never said that. Just don’t want you to get with a guy who’s going to be a frakwit.” She looked straight at Bill. “He doesn’t seem like a frakwit.”

Bill smiled. “Thank you, Kara. I think that’s the nicest compliment I’ve gotten in months.”

She smiled back. She was still going to give him the questionnaire, though.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The following Saturday found them at the park. Saul and Bill Adama sat on a bench talking while she and Lee and Zak played pyramid. Lee was quiet, but he didn’t try any funny business. He treated her just like he treated his brother, like she could take a beating or a rough foul, and he didn’t hold back. She liked that.

The first time she’d gone down, Saul had shouted something to her about being careful, but then he’d shaken his head and said, “Never mind. Careful isn’t in your vocabulary.” He was smiling when he said it, though.

After a couple of hours, Kara was hungry, and it didn’t look like Saul and Bill were ever going to stop talking. She tossed the ball through the goal and turned to the Adama boys. “I’m starving. You guys like pizza?”

Zak rushed her, and she lost her balance. She lay there under a pile of solid Adama boy, panting. “Is that a yes, Zak?”

He nodded, looked guiltily at Lee and stood, holding his hand out to her. “Sorry. It never knocks Lee down.”

“You like pizza, Lee?”

He ruffled his hair and smiled. “Yeah. I like pizza.”

“You’re cute when you smile. You should do it more often.”

Zak bounced in front of her. “What about me? Am I cute when I smile?”

He put on his cheesiest grin, and she pretend-punched him on the chin. “You’re adorable.” She grabbed his hand and herded him toward their parents. “You think we can con them into Pizza Land?” she whispered.

“Ooh. Is that the one with the giant tunnel?”

She nodded.

“We love that place! Lee pretends he doesn’t, but he loves it, too.” He leaned in closer. “He tries to lose me, but he never can. I can always find him.”

She stopped and held her hand out to Lee. “Come on, Lee. We’re going to Pizza Land!”

“They haven’t said yes yet.” He held her hand anyway.

“They will. How can they resist?” She surged forward, trailing Adama boys, and all but skidded to a stop in front of Saul and Bill. “We’re hungry. Can we have Pizza Land? We promise to behave and leave you alone so you can talk more.” She squeezed the boys hands. “Right, boys?”

They both agreed, though Zak’s answer was a bit more enthusiastic.

She put on her best smile and fluttered her lashes. “Please?”

“Oh gods, Kara. Stop. I’m your dad now. You don’t have to con me anymore.”

“You’re my dad?” The knot in her belly made her want to run.

“That’s what adoption means, Kara. You’re my kid. I’m your dad. Didn’t you know that?”

She shook her head, biting her lip to keep the tears from spilling over.

“Aw, c’mere, kid.”

He hugged her so tight she almost couldn’t breathe, but this time she didn’t mind so much. She had a dad. She couldn’t remember her real parents at all, and she’d gotten so old she’d heard people saying she’d never get adopted. She hugged Saul back and mentally stuck her tongue out at every single of them.

When she stepped back, she sniffed and said, “So, dad. Can we go to Pizza Land?”

Saul looked at Bill and nodded. “Yeah, Kara. We’ll go to Pizza Land.”

They headed for the exit, and as they walked, first Zak and then Lee took a hand and squeezed. She smiled and squeezed back. Maybe she could forget about that questionnaire.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Let's Spend the Night Together](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2815418) by [lanalucy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanalucy/pseuds/lanalucy)




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